Top-10 seeds Rybakina, Pegula bow out in Australian Open round 2

By Selcuk Bugra Gokalp

Women's top-10 seeds Elena Rybakina and Jessica Pegula bowed out in the 2024 Australian Open singles round 2 on Thursday.

Russian tennis player Anna Blinkova beat world No. 3 Rybakina of Kazakhstan 6-4, 4-6 and 7-6 (22-20).

World No. 5 Pegula of the US, on the other hand, was eliminated by French player Clara Burel with 6-4, 6-2 straight sets.

"I think I played a very solid performance today. I was really focused," said Burel, "I didn't let her come into this match. (I was), very solid, and I'm really happy about this match."

Blinkova will face Italian Jasmine Paolini, while Burel will take on her compatriot Oceane Dodin in round 3.

- Alcaraz, Swiatek both reach round 3

Men's tennis world No. 2 Carlos Alcaraz of Spain and women's tennis world No. 1 Iga Swiatek of Poland both managed to reach their respective singles round 3.

Alcaraz passed men's singles round 2 with a 6-4, 6-7(3), 6-3, 7-6(3) victory over Italian Lorenzo Sonego.

"I’m really happy with my performance today,” said the 20-year-old Spaniard after the match.

"I think both of us played such a great level, high intensity. The match was a little bit tricky with the wind and the sun, it was tough to play your best," he added.

In the women's singles round 2 Swiatek eliminated US player Danielle Collins 6-4, 3-6 and 6-4 sets.
"I feel like when I'm really well-focused I am kind of repeating the same song throughout the whole match,” Swiatek said.

"It gives me energy, and I can kind of narrow my focus just to that song that I keep hearing and the technical stuff that I want to think about," she added.

Alcaraz will play against Chinese Juncheng Shang, while Swiatek will face Czech Linda Noskova in round 3 clashes.